"We had a core of players there -- by far, the closest group of players I played with," said Valiquette, one of three goalies on the roster that night and now Bridgeport's goalies coach.

"Still today, Raffi Torres, Justin Mapletoft, Rick DiPietro, the four of us would collectively say it's the closest group we've ever been around."

That team finished first overall in 2001-02 and reached the Calder Cup Final. It's been up and down for the franchise since -- in the playoffs, mostly down, with no series wins since 2003 -- but Saturday marks Bridgeport's 1,000th regular-season game.

"It's a tribute to the region for its support of the Sound Tigers," team president Howard Saffan said.

"It's an honor Mr. (Charles) Wang purchased the team and has supported the team along the way. It's amazing for those who thought, after the demise of the New Haven Coliseum and the Nighthawks, that a hockey team could thrive in this area."

It's a team that struggled to survive at times early in its run and a team that seemed to have a relocation or reaffiliation rumor on its back from Day 1. Even now, developer Bruce Ratner said last summer that he plans to have the team anchor a renovated Nassau Coliseum eventually, after the parent New York Islanders move to Brooklyn in 2015 and the Coliseum is rebuilt. Another team would be expected to follow the Sound Tigers here if that happened.

"If it's in the Islanders' best interest," a move could happen, said Saffan, whose staff also operates Webster Bank Arena. "At no such time has that scenario arisen."

On Saturday, the Sound Tigers host the Albany Devils, one of 12 AHL franchises that has moved since Bridgeport began play (there were 27 teams that year, when the Devils were the Lowell Lock Monsters; there are 30 now). Of the 15 still in place, Bridgeport is one of just six with the same NHL affiliate, uninterrupted.

Bridgeport has won 484 games (49 in shootouts), lost 393 in regulation, tied 31 back when there were ties in AHL games (2001-04), lost 45 in overtime and another 46 in shootouts. The Sound Tigers are 21-35 in the playoffs.

They were 12-8 in their first playoff season, and that's the team that Valiquette remembers so fondly. He talked about going to the Hamptons to train in the summer of 2001 with the team, bonding in a couple of houses rented by then-New York Islanders general manager Mike Milbury.

"It was the most fun I had as a hockey player, that camaraderie," Valiquette said.